Hope for the Weary (Moms e-mail: May)

Hello Moms!

How was your Memorial Day weekend? Ours was productive and we had a little fun too! Today, I'm feeling exhausted. As I was thinking of what to write, this passage came to mind:

Isaiah 40: 28-31 28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I think it speaks more toward emotional and spiritual weariness, but I doubt that you can separate those out from the physical--they're a package deal. Anyway, I find great hope and encouragement from this passage. I just skimmed the whole of Isaiah 40, and it speaks of God's power and encourages the reader to put their hope in Him--not to be discouraged by this "world" or to misplace hope in other sources (ie. idols). I don't know exactly what point in time it was written in Israel's history, but I imagine it was a time of oppression and suffering as a nation. I imagine they were discouraged...wondering when the promises of God would be fulfilled...wondering when they would be free.

Do you ever feel discouraged? Weary? Weary of struggling with sin? Weary from the relentless demands of your children, your job, household responsibilities, etc...? Are you tempted to look for encouragement from sources other than God? Business, TV, money or other material possessions, personal achievement, etc...? I would have to answer "Yes" and "Yes". How about you? The good news is that there IS hope, there IS encouragement for us! For you! For me! Let's put our hope in the Lord and let us be strengthened--soaring like eagles! Keep on prayin'!

In His Grace,
KP